Photography Contest
Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2026
Deadline |
04/21/26Theme |
PortraitTerritory |
WorldwideEligibility |
The competition is open to everyone aged 18 and over.Entry Fees |
22 GBPPrizes |
Cash PrizeThe Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2026, a photography competition that showcases the work of talented young photographers, gifted amateurs, and established professionals in the very best of contemporary photography, is now open for entries!
The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize stands as a beacon of excellence within the realm of contemporary portrait photography. This esteemed international competition, hosted by the National Portrait Gallery, celebrates the art of capturing the essence of humanity through the lens. It not only showcases the talents of emerging photographers but also honors the contributions of gifted amateurs and the unparalleled skill of established professionals. The prize is synonymous with diversity and creativity, offering a panoramic view of modern society through portraits that range from meticulously planned commissions to the spontaneous intimacy of moments capturing friends and family in unguarded emotion.
The competition celebrates a diverse range of images and tells the fascinating stories behind the creation of works, from formal commissioned portraits to more spontaneous and intimate moments. The selected images, many of which are exhibited for the first time, explore both traditional and contemporary approaches to portrait photography while capturing a wide range of characters, moods, and locations.
The photographs must be portraits. Portrait may be interpreted in its widest sense, as “photography concerned with portraying people with an emphasis on their identity as individuals.”
Photographers may submit up to 6 individual portraits or portraits in a series. A “series” may refer either to a group of separate portraits around a particular theme or to a number of images that, when shown together, form a single portrait work. The judges may choose to display a series in its entirety within the exhibition.
All photographs must have been taken by the entrant from life after 1 January 2025.
All images will be reviewed by a panel of judges, and entrants selected in the first round will be notified by 7 May 2026 if their work has progressed to the second round. Only those selected for the second round will be required to arrange delivery of their photograph(s) to the collection point between 26 May and 2 June 2026.
Prizes:
The first prize winner will receive £15,000, the second prize winner £3,000, and the third prize winner £2,000.
The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize stands as a beacon of excellence within the realm of contemporary portrait photography. This esteemed international competition, hosted by the National Portrait Gallery, celebrates the art of capturing the essence of humanity through the lens. It not only showcases the talents of emerging photographers but also honors the contributions of gifted amateurs and the unparalleled skill of established professionals. The prize is synonymous with diversity and creativity, offering a panoramic view of modern society through portraits that range from meticulously planned commissions to the spontaneous intimacy of moments capturing friends and family in unguarded emotion.
The competition celebrates a diverse range of images and tells the fascinating stories behind the creation of works, from formal commissioned portraits to more spontaneous and intimate moments. The selected images, many of which are exhibited for the first time, explore both traditional and contemporary approaches to portrait photography while capturing a wide range of characters, moods, and locations.
The photographs must be portraits. Portrait may be interpreted in its widest sense, as “photography concerned with portraying people with an emphasis on their identity as individuals.”
Photographers may submit up to 6 individual portraits or portraits in a series. A “series” may refer either to a group of separate portraits around a particular theme or to a number of images that, when shown together, form a single portrait work. The judges may choose to display a series in its entirety within the exhibition.
All photographs must have been taken by the entrant from life after 1 January 2025.
All images will be reviewed by a panel of judges, and entrants selected in the first round will be notified by 7 May 2026 if their work has progressed to the second round. Only those selected for the second round will be required to arrange delivery of their photograph(s) to the collection point between 26 May and 2 June 2026.
Prizes:
The first prize winner will receive £15,000, the second prize winner £3,000, and the third prize winner £2,000.
Featured Photo Contest
AAP Magazine #56 / SHADOWS
$1,000 cash prizes | Winning image(s) published in AAP Magazine #56 | Website feature and International Press
© Francesco Pace Rizzi
Best Photography Contests in 2025
Each year, there are hundreds of photography competitions all over the world, so we've decided to select for you the best of the best! Our selection of the best photo contests in 2025 is thoroughly curated to help you, whether you are a professional photographer or an amateur, to help find your next creative breakthrough. These all-star competitions offer the greatest opportunities for international exposure and/or incredible financial benefits. Some of them are closing soon, so get your photo submissions in!
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If you're a passionate amateur or professional photographer, we invite you to share your photographic project with us.
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Our 56th printed issue of AAP Magazine will feature the best projects showcasing the theme "Shadows".
ENDS 03/31/26
Selected photobooks will be featured in Der Greif’s Articles section, including a dedicated editorial feature highlighting the project, its context, and the maker(s).
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Creative Photo Awards is a project of Siena Awards, dedicated to rewarding originality, experimentation, and imagination by encouraging the creative use of the medium of photography in all its forms, including abstract and conceptual ideas.
ENDS 04/02/26
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ENDS 04/12/26
The winner will receive a grant of $14,000 for a solo exhibition
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The main grant is open to professional photographers worldwide, one $30,000. grant
ENDS 04/16/26
Emerging Photographers (under 30 year old ) 2 X $ 5000 grants.
ENDS 04/21/26
The first prize winner will receive £15,000, the second prize winner £3,000, and the third prize winner £2,000.
ENDS 04/21/26
Be Featured in our April 2026 Online Juried Solo Exhibition!
ENDS 04/30/26
Tthe Inge Morath Award, a $7,500 grant given to a woman photographer under the age of 30 to support the completion of a long-term documentary project.
ENDS 04/30/26
The IPA recognizes photography’s leading talents who are creating, shaping and defining the world of photography today.
ENDS 05/04/26
For the tenth year running, the Société des Auteurs des Arts Visuels et de l’Image Fixe (SAIF) is funding the €8,000 prize to encourage the work of a photojournalist committed to long-term projects.
ENDS 05/07/26
The 2026 Virginia Prize, worth €10,000, will be awarded to its winner in November 2026.
ENDS 05/11/26
The Bibliothèque nationale de France will present the work of the Bourse du Talent winners alongside other prestigious photography awards as part of the exhibition La Photographie à tout Prix in December
ENDS 05/13/26
This prize, with a production budget of €25,000, is open to any new photographer or artist using photography, submitting a previously unpublished dummy book.
ENDS 05/17/26
MonoVisions Photography Awards are an international open call for photographers using black and white medium to express their visual language.
ENDS 05/31/26
This season will feature five main categories, with ‘Family’ serving as the primary theme.
ENDS 06/01/26
The Lenscratch Student Prize has opened up a whole new line of connections, opportunities and exposure.
ENDS 06/03/26
BUDAPEST INTERNATIONAL FOTO AWARDS is an international platform for photographers from all levels and genres to share their best images with the creative community in Hungary and Eastern Europe.
ENDS 06/15/26
Submit your best photographs now and get your chance to be one of the winners awarded in Siena!
ENDS 07/22/26
Submit your best work to our photo competition for a chance to win up to $11,500 in cash prizes, be selected by our curators for the PX3 exhibition in Paris and inclusion in the Annual PX3 book.